Cal seeks repeat of last year's UCLA upset

Updated 10:58 pm, Friday, October 11, 2013

Cal quarterback Jared Goff throws for a touchdown against Washington State. The Bears must hope Goff gets hot Saturday if they are to have a chance at upsetting UCLA again.

Cal quarterback Jared Goff throws for a touchdown against Washington State. The Bears must hope Goff gets hot Saturday if they are to have a chance at upsetting UCLA again.

Photo: Tony Avelar, Associated Press

Cal seeks repeat of last year's UCLA upset

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A little more than a year ago, a struggling Cal team with a 1-4 record and a three-game losing streak hosted UCLA at Memorial Stadium.

The Bruins - ranked 25th in the country at the time - entered the game with plenty of confidence.

They left shocked.

Despite being underdogs, the Bears came away with a 43-17 victory.

Fast-forward to Saturday, and Cal will try to do it again. The Bears (1-4, 0-2 Pac-12) will try to upset No. 11 UCLA (4-0, 1-0) for the second year in a row, this time at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Cal has another three-game losing streak and the same record it had entering last season's matchup, but the roster is much different. The starting lineup on Saturday will feature just four players who started against the Bruins last season.

"Last year was last year," said sophomore receiver Chris Harper, who leads the team this season with 38 catches for 570 yards. "It's a whole new year."

Head coach Sonny Dykes, who wasn't around for last season's game, isn't sure if any confidence has carried over.

"There are a lot of different guys than last year's team," he said.

So what gives Cal a chance this time around?

Maybe one of those different guys.

Fresh off a school-record 504 passing yards in last weekend's loss to Washington State, freshman quarterback Jared Goff will try to lead the new-look Bears to a repeat of last year's upset of the Bruins.

With an injury-riddled defense that is struggling to contain opposing offenses, it's evident Cal needs near-flawless performances from Goff and Co. to win games. The defense ranks in the bottom three in the country in points (45) and yards (545) allowed per game, but if the Bear Raid offense can get into a groove, anything is possible.

Goff bounced back last weekend after a nightmarish performance against No. 2 Oregon the week before, but he has another challenge ahead of him in the second road game of his career.

UCLA tallied six interceptions - four of which were tipped passes - against Utah on Oct. 3. Its defense also features a future first-round NFL draft pick in outside linebacker Anthony Barr, one of the most dynamic pass rushers in the nation.

Goff has dealt with tipped balls and a lack of protection all season.

"I just need to try to work harder and not let them get their hands up and work around it," he said. "It's my job to find the throwing lanes."

"I'm very confident, but I gotta respect his speed," the 6-foot-8, 330-pound Tagaloa said. "Using my long arms is something I've been working on this week."

Goff is looking forward to the experience of playing in the Rose Bowl, though he'd prefer to play there in the annual postseason bowl game. With two conference losses already this season, Cal has a long way to go before it becomes a contender in the Pac-12.

"I'd love to play there in January," Goff said. "But we're getting a chance to play there this weekend, and we have to make the most of it."

Now Playing:

Cal (1-4, 0-2 Pac-12) at No. 11 UCLA (4-0, 1-0)

Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

TV/Radio: ESPN2/810

Story lines: After three straight losses, Cal looks to bounce back against its fourth top-20 opponent in six games. In head coach Jim Mora's second season, UCLA is hoping to avenge its loss to the Bears last season. ... Saturday will be a homecoming game for more than 20 players on the Bears' roster who are from the Los Angeles area. UCLA leads the all-time series 50-32-1. ... The Bruins have outscored opponents 65-0 in the third quarter this season.

What to watch for

Jared Goff and the Bear Raid: Cal's offense faces a UCLA defense that intercepted six passes against Utah on Oct. 3. Goff has thrown for 1,821 yards through five games and is on pace to beat the NCAA FBS record for most passing yards by a freshman (3,745), set by UCLA's Brett Hundley last season.

Under pressure: Cal left tackle Freddie Tagaloa will try to contain outside linebacker Anthony Barr, one of the top defensive players in the country and a likely top-10 draft pick in 2014. If Barr gets constant pressure on Goff's blind side, the Bears could be in trouble.

Big points: Cal's cornerbacks will try to get back on track. Kam Jackson (ankle) should be back in the lineup, and he had three interceptions against UCLA last season. In his first collegiate start, Adrian Lee will line up opposite Jackson. Led by Hundley, a dark-horse Heisman candidate, the Bruins rank in the top five in the country in points (48) and yards (561.8) per game.

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